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(No Model.) D. S. REGAN, Decd.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. F. REGAN, Administratrix. GBAR ING FOR GAS OR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. No. 558,420

Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

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(N0 Modem D. S. REGAN, DBGd. 2 Sheets-'-Sheet 2.

A. F. REGAN, Administratrix. GEARING FOR GAS 0R EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

No. 558,420. Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

M. PHOYGLITNQWASHINGTGN D C UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL S. REGAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA; ANNIE F. REGAN, ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID DANIEL S. REGAN, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SANFORD BENNETT, OF SAME PLACE.

GEARING FOR GAS OR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,420, dated April 14, 1896.

Application filed September 16, 1893. Serial No. 485,665. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL S. REGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transmitting-Gearin g forRailway-Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to mechanism for connecting the motive power (especially gas or gasoline engines) of railway-cars or motorcars with the axles or wheels thereof, so that the amount of power or traction force will remain the same irrespective of the speed at which the car is moving and independent of the relative speeds of the motive power and the car; also, in combination therewith, devices to change relatively the speed of the motor and the car; and the invention consequently consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a compound transmitting-gearing, which can be directly or simply geared and also geared as two to one, arranged in both cases according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse elevational view taken on the line m 00 of Fig. 1, showing the differential toothed gearing to change the relative rotation of speed of the driving and driven shafts and also the frictional retardingbrake applied to the second or most powerful movement. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a common street-railway carriage impelled by a gas-engine and provided with my improved transmitting-gearing. Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the levers.

Like letters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

Gas or vapor engines that commonly receive one impulse at alternate revolutions require heavy fly-wheels to equalize and distribute this intermittent force, and hence require to be driven at high speed and are incapable of starting under a load or operating at slow speed, and they consequently fail in efficiency when connected positively to the drivingwheels of railway-carriages, or other resistance that causes a decrease of the engines speed.

The same conditions exist, but in less degree, when differential or reducing gearing is employed to start a car when at rest or propel it when ascending grades. The speed and power of the engine is checked in changing the relative speed of the car and engine, so that the latter does not maintain its full speed and is liable to stop by exhausting the momentum of the fly-wheel. My invention obviates these difficulties, as will now be explained.

Referring to the drawings, especially Fig. 1, A denotes the driving or engine shaft, and B an intermediate shaft, geared by means of the bevel gear-wheels C to the car-axle D.

On the outer end of the shaft A is a friction-clutch, composed of the two plates E and F and an interposed frictional disk a, of leather or fibrous material, that creates friction and traction between these plates or disks E and F when they are pressed together.

Plate E can be longitudinally moved on the shaft A by means of a lever Y, and is pressed into contact with the other plate by a coiled spring IV and is held from turning on the shaft A by a key or spline g.

The plate or disk F is attached to the projecting boss or hub H of the member I,which performs the double purpose of an internal gear-wheel and also the revolving portion of a second frictional clutch, as shown in Fig. 2. If the engine was directly geared and the relation between the motive power and the shaft B was to remain the same, then the disk or plate F would be attached directly to the spur-wheel J and its power transmitted, through the wheel K, to the shaft B and to the axle D, but in propelling railway-cars there is often required augmented force, as in ascending grades or in starting when acar is on an upward grade, and hence differential gearing is provided, asvwill be next explained.

The member I has internal teeth, as shown at L in Fig. 2. Meshing into these teeth are pinions n, which likewise engage the pinion M, keyed on the engine-shaft. Pinions n are mounted loosely on studs N, fastened in the disk 0, which is loosely mounted on a hub or sleeve P of the pinion M, as shown in the sectional view of Fig. 1. To the hub of the disk 0 the spur-wheel J is keyed. Around the periphery of the memberlthereis placed a friction-clamp Q, that is formed in two parts and hinged at one side, as shown at R in Fig. 2. At the other side is a bolt or rod S, operated by acam-lever T, that compresses the friction-clamp Q to such a degree as the adjustable coiled spring U may determine. The friction-clamp Q is prevented from turning by an extenson V, that fits on the shaft B, and when clamped or compressed by the lever T offers a resistance to the rotation of the member I in proportion and nearly equal to the driving power, as will be presently pointed out.

The plates E and E are pressed together by a coiled spring IV, the force of which can be regulated by an adjustable collar X, the pressure thus produced causing friction or traction between the plates E and F equal to or nearly equal to the power of the engine applied on the shaft A. This friction or traction is removed by means of a lever Y, fulcrumed at Z and having a latch or detent c, that, when the lever Y is. drawn back, engages the ledge or stop d and holds the plates E and F out of contact.

The operation of the gearing is as follows: Supposing the engine-shaft A and the second shaft 13 are to be driven at the same speed or as the relative size of the two wheels K and J may determine, then the clamp-clutch Q is loosened and the disks or plates E and F are pressed together by releasing the lever Y, then the plates E and F, member I, plate 0 and wheel J, all revolve together the same as if the wheel J was fastened to the plate E, the intermediate gearing, consisting of the pinions n and M, serving to lock together the member I and the disk L. This I call the direct or single-geared transmission, in which the car-axle D revolves at some predetermined rate in respect to the engine-shaft A and so as to give the maximum speed to the car; but if the car is to be started from a state of rest, or a grade is to be ascended when the power of the engine is not sufficient to overcome the resistance offered, then the disk or plate E slips on the disk a and the en gine goes on at full speed, all the time imparting atorsional strain on the shaft B equal to the engines power until the resistance of the car equals the power of the engine. Then the movement ceasesbetween the plate E and I these parts acting simply as a couplin If, however, the force of the engine is not sufficient to propel the car at the speed thus provided for, the friction-plate E is released by means of the lever Y and the clamp Q is applied by means of the lever T, stopping or retarding the member I. Then the pinion M on the engine-shaft A actson the pinions n, and this in turn on the internal teeth of the member I, setting the plate 0 and wheel J in motion at a reduced rate in respect to the engine in such proportion as the size of the pinion M and the other gearing may determine, from 1 to 2 or 2 to 4, as the grades or other resistance may render necessary. In this case the same method of regulating resistance to the engine is employed. The spring U is compressed by the screw-nuts m to a point where the friction of the clamp Q will absorb the maximum power of the engine, up to such a point as will not diminishits speed, the engine going on at its normal rate and the difference between that and the speed of the car being compensated or supplied by the member I slipping in the clamp Q. The internal gearing or pinions mounted on the plate 0 and the one M can be arranged in any manner to produce different relative speeds of the shafts A and B, or, by the additions of pinions,revolvin g the shaft B in either direction. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a transmitting-gearing, the combination of a motor-driven shaft, a second shaft geared to the vehicle-axle, a friction-clutch on the motor-driven shaft, consisting of two plates adapted to be in frictional contact with each other, one of which is laterally movable upon the shaft, a spring device for pressing the movable plate into contact with the other plate, and difierential gearing connecting said other plate both with the motor-driven shaft and the second: shaft, said gearing consisting of an internal gear to which the second plate of the friction-clutch is attached, a fixed gear on the motor-shaft, a disk loose on. the hub of said gear, pinions loosely mounted on the studs carried by said disk, said pinions engaging with said internal gear and the gear fixed on the motor-shaft, and a gear fast on the diskhub and meshing with thegear on the second shaft, together with the leverfor moving the movable plate out of contact, and the frictionclamp applied to the gear-casing, and means for operating said clamp, substantially as described.

2. In a transmitting-gearing, the combination of a motor-driven shaft, a second shaft geared to the vehicle-axle, a friction-clutch consisting of two plates, one of which is movable on the motor-driven shaft, an adjustable collar on said shaft, a spring, tensioned between the adj nstable collar and the movable plate so as to produce a predetermined amount of pressure on said plate against the other plate, a lever by which this pressure may be removed or increased beyond the power of the spring, and differential gearing connecting the second plate both with the motor-driven shaftmnd the second shaft, together with the friet-ion-clamp-and means for operating the same, substantially as described.

3. In a transmitting-gearing, the combination of the motor-driven shaft, a second shaft geared tothe vehicle-axle, a friction-clutch on the motel-shaft consisting of two plates IIO adapted to be in frictional contact with each other, one of which is movable on the shaft, an adjustable collar likewise on the motordriven shaft, a spring tensioned between said collar and the movable plate of the frictionclutch, a lever connected to the movable plate by means of which the pressure of the spring may be removed or increased, an internal gear-wheel to which the other plate of the friction-clutch is attached, a gear fast on the motor-shaft within said internal gear, a disk other, one of which is movable on the motordriven shaft into or out of contact with the other, an adjustable collar likewise on the motor-shaft,a spring tensioned between it and the movable member of the clutch, an operating-lever connected to said movable member and used to remove the pressure of .the spring or increase it, differential gearing substantially as described for connecting the other member of the friction-clutch with the second shaft, and a yielding friction-clamp surrounding the internal gear which forms a part of this differential gearing, together with an operating-lever for said clamp, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL S. REGAN.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. ENQUIST, WILsoN D. BENT, J r. 

